It may be fun to wax nostalgic about the days of click-clacking away at a typewriter or scrawling your novel into a leather-bound journal, but those romantic ideals are impractical for the modern-day writer.

Nowadays, a writer’s laptop is her best friend.

Like any best friend, a good laptop should be there for you through thick and thin, from bustling airports to cozy coffee shops, from the triumph of a strong WiFi signal to the heartbreak of no available outlets.

A reliable laptop lets you take your writing anywhere, whether you’re researching a freelance article or drafting your latest novel idea.

So what’s the best laptop for writers?

We rounded up the best laptops for writers based on categories that matter most to wordsmiths: affordability, reliability, portability, keyboards and more.

Most links to the laptops recommended below will take you directly to Amazon for easy shopping; that’s also a good place to read more reviews. But don’t underestimate the manufacturers’ websites if you want more information. You might also check the price there before you buy, since each laptop model comes with a wide range of options and Amazon’s prices vary from day to day.

Here are our 2020 picks for the best laptops for writers.

Most affordable laptop

Most of us are on a budget, especially if we’re just starting our freelance writing career or working on creative writing on the side of a day job. Laptops aren’t exactly known for being cheap, but you can find budget-friendly options if you’re willing to compromise on storage space and fancy add-ons.

Starting at $249.93, the HP Chromebook can’t be beat for affordability.

Writers will appreciate a processor that supports more speed for streaming and editing, plus the near 13-hour battery life. Although Chromebooks have small storage capacity and limited functionality without an internet connection, many users find the two years of access to 100 GB of Google Drive storage is good enough to make this laptop a stellar deal. (Oh, and offline functionality of Google Docs isn’t too shabby either.)

Up until recently, Chromebook couldn’t run Microsoft Word — while you still can’t download the traditional software, Microsoft’s Office apps for Android devices can now run on the newer Chromebook models that have the ability to download, install and run apps from the Google Play store.

Laptop with the best battery life

You’re at your favorite coffee shop making huge progress on your latest writing project. Of course, that’s the exact moment when your laptop’s battery indicator turns red, warning that you only have a few precious minutes before your computer shuts down.

Avoid the scramble for an open outlet at coffee shops, libraries and airports.

Instead, go with the full HD version of the Dell XPS 13 (starting at $899.99). With up to 19 hours and 24 minutes of continuous run-time, this versatile touch laptop will never leave you stranded with a dying battery.

Most portable laptop

Whether you’re a digital nomad who’s constantly on the move to the next freelancer-friendly city or a hometown writer who enjoys working from coffee shops, laptop portability is an important factor for many writers.

There’s no need to schlep a heavy laptop around when you have options like the Acer Swift 7 (starting at $1,499). Weighing under three pounds and nine millimeters thick, the ultraportable Swift 7 is ready to take your writing wherever the wind blows you.

Laptop with the best keyboard

Most people probably don’t think twice about their keyboard. Writers, on the other hand, can be obsessed with them.

A responsive, ergonomic keyboard is essential for writers, and not all laptops deliver.

For those who are picky and truly want the best laptop keyboard, it’s probably best to test-drive a few models in-store to get a feel for what you do and don’t like.

If you need a place to start, look no further than the HP Spectre x360 (starting at $959.99). The smooth, softly backlit keyboard gets rave reviews from users, who appreciate its deep and spacious keys amid the compact design. The trackpad also beats out many of its competitors with a wide touch area and satisfyingly firm click. And with two useful levels of backlighting, writers can create their next masterpiece from anywhere.

Most reliable laptop

A laptop isn’t something you want to upgrade every other year.

In most cases, the brand of laptop you choose has more impact on reliability than which specific model you go with. Overall durability, customer support and warranty options all come into play in this category.

Apple is well known for its excellent support staff, especially since the bountiful presence of brick-and-mortar Apple stores often means you won’t need to ship your computer to the manufacturer for servicing.

Try the classic MacBook Air (starting at $899) for a laptop that’s stood the test of time.

A strong PC brand is Asus, with helpful customer service reps and plenty of warranty options, including hardware repair and accidental damage protection, where users can make up to one claim per year for accidents caused by a drop, spill or liquid damage. Their ASUS ZenBook 13 (starting at $975.32) meets the rigid MIL-STD-810G military standards for durability and reliability, so you know it’s tough. On top of that, the laptop was tested in harsh environments, extreme altitudes, extreme temperatures and humidity, and it passed all with flying colors.

Laptop with the best screen display

No one likes squinting at tiny text on a screen they can barely see. A larger screen is particularly important for writers who need multiple documents open side-by-side or who are working through tedious revisions.

The best in show for top-of-the-line screen displays goes to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 7 (starting at $899.99). Whether you’re watching webinars, Zooming across the world, or writing the next Great American Novel, the Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 7 lets you choose from several displays, including a full HD touchscreen or one with PrivacyGuard for screen security. The cinematic 4K Dolby Vision™ panel has high dynamic range technology that makes shadows and textures become richer on the 14-inch screen, which is a pro for any writer who’s tired of endlessly fiddling with brightness settings.

If you need a laptop with a stellar display that travels well, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is your best bet (starting at $899.99). This laptop boasts a 15.6-inch display with vibrant and crisp optional 4K resolution that makes the anti-glare wide viewing angle a pleasure to use.

Best 2-in-1 laptop

Versatile 2-in-1 laptops give you the flexibility to interview a source with a lightweight tablet in the morning, then type up your notes on a full-sized keyboard in the afternoon.

Frequent travelers and journalists will especially appreciate how quickly a 2-in-1 laptop can transform to meet their needs at any moment.

The HP Elite Dragonfly (starting at $1,399.99) is an easy option for writers whose busy schedules require versatility. It’s not the cheapest 2-in-1 laptop out there, but the HP Elite Dragonfly doesn’t skimp on high-quality features that make it just as powerful as a traditional laptop. The powerful, yet thin and light design is complete with incredible speakers, a smooth keyboard and an optional 4K display

If you’re looking for a two-in-one that can pull its weight without breaking the bank, check out the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 with a 360- degree hinge that allows for both conventional laptop and tablet-style operation (starting at $899.99). 

Best laptop for entrepreneurs

Many writers consider themselves small business owners. We tap into our inner entrepreneur to find freelance clients, market our books and keep our business finances in order.

Entrepreneurial writers need a laptop that can keep up with whatever task they’re tackling, whether it’s creating a promotional video, researching a story or recording a podcast episode.

Apple lovers can’t go wrong with the MacBook Pro (starting at $1,299.99). This cult-favorite has been the top pick for entrepreneurs for years, and for good reason. The high-quality performance, Retina display in a variety of screen sizes (13 or 16 inches!) and excellent customer support make the MacBook Pro a classic choice for business-minded writers — especially with the radically improved backlit Magic Keyboard.

If you’re in the market for a PC, consider the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (starting at $649). This well-rounded laptop boasts the versatility of a studio and tablet, so you can type, touch, draw, write and work more naturally. Plus, the high-speed memory and performance can help entrepreneurial writers manage all their job duties.

Now you’ve got all the info you need to choose the perfect laptop for your writing life, no matter which features are most important to you.

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life — and we thank you for that!

The original version of this story was written by Ashley Brooks. We updated the post so it’s more useful for our readers.

Photo via Jacob Lund / Shutterstock 

The post Best Laptops for Writers in 2020: The Write Life’s Top Picks appeared first on The Write Life.

‘The Last Laugh’ is a poem by Wilfred Owen (1893-1918), drafted in February 1918 (as ‘Last Words’) but only first published after Owen’s death in November 1918, one week before the Armistice. Although not his most famous poem by any means, ‘The Last Laugh’ is one of his most stark […]

The Pile

The sky was lowering slowly, the great blue weight of it, and we could feel the air being squeezed out of the world. The height of the sky was unpredictable—it appeared a little lower one day, the shadows longer, and the next day the sky had been cranked back up. Some people looked around those days and said, see? It will go back to normal, just wait, and others said, but look.

People had different reactions to the confusing descent of the sky. Perhaps the sky would not press down fully, perhaps it would remain where it was for the next couple years and then lift up on its own. Then we would be able to stand up more fully, the air would be lighter on our arms. But the sky was lowering slowly, bit by bit, when we weren’t looking. We tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, but we all knew it was. There was no knowing where it was going, but where it was going appeared to be us.

We went about our lives, appalled but trying to get through the day, dazed with hope that the sky would stop on its own, but the sky kept descending, inch by inch, and the shadows across the nation stretched out, unnatural and dismal and gray.

Many of us couldn’t sleep. Some of us were having problems with our necks from constantly looking up, gauging how far the sky had lowered today, and some of us glanced up so frequently our necks froze in place. Some of us found our backs hunching, protectively, in a posture of anticipation for the future, but it was obviously pointless, as our backs were no match for the sky. Others took the easy route and just toppled over dead with worry. Others ruminated about practical things, like whether it was time to redo the roof on their house. Some tried not to never think about it but the effort of not thinking made then gaunt.

Some said stop worrying, the lowering would stop at some point. Some said we could get along with it at this height.  But it was already brushing tops of mountains, there were reports it had crushed people who lived atop high mountain peaks. The sky cruelly lowered and crushed them and then lifted, leaving them flat and bloody.

Why didn’t they go down the mountain, said some.

How can you say that?

They didn’t have to stay there. Why didn’t they go?

Someone, I don’t know who, suggested building a pile. The word itself was aggravating and vague. A pile to rise up and stop the sky. What sort of pile? With what? What was the point? The sky stretched on for farther than we could see.

The idea caught on. Shut up and build one. Bring something of your own. Anything. Toss it on. We need a huge pile. Move.

Some people were excited by the idea of a pile. They brought everything they wanted to empty out of their homes. Old towels, shoes, end tables, chipped mugs, cribs, broken chairs. It was like a giant, disorganized rummage sale, but sadly with no sale element. The sheer size of the pile started attracting people. It appeared at first a mess and then official, and we craved being part of something organized, official.

What should we add to the pile? Some thought we needed sharp things. Knives, broken windows, handled carefully. Something that would scrape the sky and stop it from being lowered more, though we did not know if a sky was scrapable, as no one had touched it. People began to hurt themselves on broken glass, so this stopped.

There were debates, some polite and some heated, about what would be best to load onto the pile. Some felt bags of manure would be most efficient, but they made everything smelly, so that ended that. There was a theory involving bales of hay, and then old magazines, as everyone had old magazines they wanted to throw out.  It didn’t matter. Everything helped.

There was a general sense of panic. People started cutting off their hair and pushing it into the pile. Some began to up the ante by surgically removing parts of their bodies. A finger. A foot. Their bravery was applauded. Some people copied them, as though trying to appease someone, but no one was quite sure who.

It was only after people started offering up body parts that others handed over property. One man lifted his four-bedroom house off its foundation, hauled it to the pile, and pushed it in. Some people cheered him on, but few followed, and though some generous people offered him a couch to sleep on, others whispered they would not let him in their homes.

Go. Keep going. We needed more things. The pile was just about to brush the bottom of the sky. All our work was leading to something useful, it was almost there, we could see it.

What if it doesn’t work? Some of us said.

What do you mean?

So we build the pile and it brushes the sky and nothing happens. What if it doesn’t work?

People were tired of bringing objects from their homes, not to mention, hair, random limbs, purses, clothes they were embarrassed to have worn. They were sick of going through their closets and unloading everything. Their homes were starting to look bare.

There was, as we got closer, a feeling of doubt.  What if we have done all of this for nothing?

What’s the point?

The sky made a slight groaning sound, as though it was gearing up for something. We all jumped.

I’ve had it, said some of us. I’m tired.

It doesn’t matter.

I miss my chair.

Whose idea was this anyway?

The pile stood, a massive mess of offerings, and it was easy to just see it as that. A damned, stupid mess. A useless activity. A waste. It stood there, silent, holding so much anger and fear and hope. One could see why people would turn from it, now, just as it was brushing the sky, just now as its efficacy would be tested. It stood there, items rotting in the sun.  Hurry! shouted someone. One more thing. Everyone. Please. Find something.  Go! We could not see whether everyone was adding to the pile or giving up; we did not know if we were all capable of, at some point, having the same thought. We flung up tall ladders and we climbed higher and higher, and when they swayed as we perched on them, we tried to grab hold of the pure blue–but our hands closed over nothing. We opened our hands, closed them, but when we tried to grab the sky our hands held only air.Still, we kept building. The pile was smelly, slovenly, grand, full of hope. Go, someone shouted, please, come on, one more thing quick, a towel, a cotton ball, an SUV, anything! There was a creaking sound from above us, a shifting, and then everyone looked up.  

The post What Will It Take to Hold Back the Sky? appeared first on Electric Literature.

In this age of online everything, your web presence can make or break your freelance career — especially if you’re just starting out.

If prospective clients don’t know you by reputation, they need a quick, easy way to suss out your work, your style and your level of professionalism. While social media accounts can do wonders (having a few thousand Twitter followers never hurt a freelancer’s credibility), you’ll need more than that as your online calling card.

That’s where your online portfolio comes into play. Even if you’re not quite ready to start a blog, a simple online portfolio that promotes your freelance writing can do a lot to help you land clients.

Regardless of which portfolio website you decide to go with, you should aim for these two things:

• Easy-to-read clips: If someone is looking to hire you, their main goal in coming to your site is to read your work and see if they like it. Make it simple for them!
• Uncluttered design: If a prospective client can’t find what they need in less than 10 seconds, you’ve got too much going on. You’ve lost their attention… and a potential gig.

Easy-to-use portfolio websites to showcase your work

An online portfolio that fulfills these two basic criteria doesn’t have to be complicated to create. You’ve got lots of good portfolio design tools to help you get there! And if you want a free portfolio website, we’ve got you covered there, too.

When you’re ready to land your next freelance writing job, here are some easy-to-use portfolio websites to choose from.

1. Journo Portfolio

On Journo Portfolio, you can create a modern, no-fuss online portfolio. The dashboard is easy to use: customize your site’s look with six distinct themes, and sort your clips into any number of pages or content blocks.

Another handy feature is the range of ways you can share materials: link directly to clips (just type in the URL and Journo Portfolio will grab the title, publication, date, and content), or upload almost any kind of multimedia, including PDFs, videos and images.

Cool Feature: To help you keep track of your metrics, Journo Portfolio’s built-in analytics show you how many visitors your site has had, how long they spent on the site and where they came from. Wanna go the extra mile? integrate your dashboard with your private Google Analytics account so you can access all the raw data available.

Free version: Yes! It’s free for a name.journoportfolio.com URL, and you can host up to 10 articles.

Upgrade option: For the pro version, pay $5 to $10 per month. That includes unlimited pages, article back-ups, and the ability to use your own domain, like www.yourname.com.

2. Clippings.me

Clippings.me was created explicitly for freelance journalists. It gives you a quick and easy way to show off your favorite clips, and add just enough detail about yourself to make you seem human. Like Journo Portfolio, you can add links, upload PDFs or embed multimedia pieces, including podcasts. And if you get stuck finding the right words to sell yourself or if you need some design guidance, check out their Writing Portfolio Guide. 

Clippings.me also offers an open journalism directory where you can browse journalists based on beats or by country to find potential interviewees for the stories you cover You could (hopefully) use it to gain access to more prospective clients.

Cool Feature: Simplicity is the name of the game. have the bare minimum technical skills but still want a refreshing layout for your online portfolio, this is a great choice.

Free version: Yes! It’s free for the basic version, which allows up to 10 articles.

Upgrade option: The pro version costs $9.99 per month, which includes unlimited clippings, downloadable resume on profile, contact forms, search engine optimization (SEO) and portfolio privacy, password-protected portfolio and features like Google Analytics integration so you can measure views.

3. Muck Rack

Muck Rack is a media database that helps connect journalists and PR pros — and their platform gives writers a slick way to easily showcase their work. 

It creates and maintains the portfolio for you by automatically compiling articles, outlets, and social media profiles which, is one of the easiest options in terms of both set-up and maintenance. You can customize your page by adding a bio, listing your beats and spotlighting your best pieces.

Muck Rack boasts it’s the easiest, most unlimited way to build your portfolio, grow your following and quantify your impact. The best part? It’s all free.

Cool Feature: Do you ever wonder how big your reach is? With Muck Rack’s Who Shared My Link tool, you can instantly see the total number of social shares for your article and which other journalists shared your stories.

Free version: Yes! It’s free for all users. Additional features are unlocked for journalists Muck Rack verifies — check out the criteria to become a verified journalist.

(Disclosure: The Write Life’s managing editor is also the editor of the Muck Rack blog.)

4. The Freelancer by Contently

The Freelancer by Contently is a portfolio website specifically for freelance writers and journalists. In addition to serving as your online portfolio, it can serve as a place to find work and connect directly with clients. Here are its top three compelling features:

• It uses a simple and single-page portfolio interface where you can display an unlimited number of projects or blog posts. 
• Potential clients can filter projects based on the clients you’ve worked with, topics and skills, which are great for writers that work in multiple industries. 
• Freelancers with professional experience might even be contacted for freelance opportunities with clients like Marriott, Microsoft and Walmart. 

Cool Feature: Contently has a rates database so you can see what other freelancers earn, and a freelance rates calculator to help you determine the amount you should charge for each client. 

Free version: Yes! It’s free for writers. (Clients pay to tap into that network.)

5. Squarespace

Squarespace is an effortless drag-and-drop website builder that offers a stellar visual experience. While this isn’t a traditional portfolio website (nor is it targeted solely at writers), it’s a really good choice if you incorporate design or graphics into your work.

Their templates give off a clean, minimalist and sophisticated vibe. And their responsive design is rock solid — an important factor when prospective clients want to view your writing on their phones or tablets. While there are many website building tools — like Wix and Weebly — Squarespace comes out ahead for its sleek visual design.

Cool Feature: Stuck on a design issue while building your portfolio at 3 a.m.? Squarespace’s 24/7 client support (via email or live chat from Monday to Friday) is top-notch. Being able to communicate with a real human being when you have a question or issue can make freelance life that much easier.  

Free version: No

Upgrade option: It costs $12 per month for a personal website with a free custom domain. For business and commerce versions, which include SEO features, advanced analytics, fully-integrated e-commerce and unlimited storage, it costs $18 to $40 per month. 

6. WordPress.com

WordPress is the grandfather of content management platforms. While not specifically geared towards online portfolios, the joy of WordPress is that you can do pretty much anything you want with it. It’s available as a totally free, no-frills blog; a paid version with more bells and whistles; or the “install-it-yourself-and-do-whatever-the-hell-you-like setup.”

Your standard WordPress themes aren’t all ideal for portfolio work, but search Google for “WordPress portfolio themes” and you’ll have everything you could ask for — WordPress even offers this dedicated portfolio splash page! This is a great platform for people who want lots of options and total creative control (and who don’t mind fussing around with a little CSS).

Cool Feature: Since WordPress is so adaptable, it can be a good place to start if you think you may want something beyond a portfolio site somewhere down the line. That way, when you realize that you want to be both a freelance writer and photographer, you’re not stuck on a platform where you can’t show off your other skills.

Free version: Yes! For a basic blog.

Upgrade option: For more control over how the site looks and functions, some freelancers choose to upgrade to the $8-per-month premium option. That gives you access to marketing and monetization tools, unlimited premium themes and advanced site design customization. 

7. Writer’s Residence

Run by Monica Shaw and Tim Harding, a writer and programmer duo in the UK, Writer’s Residence portfolios have two simple goals:

1. To make it hassle-free for writers to showcase their best work with a beautiful website.
2. To give writers a valuable tool that they can use to market their careers.

Whether you’re an aspiring freelance writer or a published author, Writer’s Residence understands that a well designed website highlights your professionalism and makes it easy for editors to see your work. Bring your own domain or use one of theirs, get creative with their variety of templates and use their “brain-dead simple system” to have your website up and running in 30 minutes. 

Cool Feature: No HTML experience? No biggie! When you create a portfolio with Writer’s Residence, they take care of the design so you can stick to your expertise —  writing. Here, you’d build your site with plain text using their simple forms. And if you do want to get fancy, customization is an option, too. 

Free version: Yes! All accounts come with a 30-day free trial.

Upgrade option: After the trial, continue managing your website for $8.99 per month (or £5.49) on this easy platform that lets you upload an unlimited number of writing samples and provides prompt and personal customer support.

8. Writerfolio

The writing industry is highly competitive — make your writing stand out with an appealing and professional Writerfolio portfolio to leave a great first impression with clients and editors. That’s sure to land you your next writing job!

On this platform that also requires no computer skills, you can build a portfolio with unlimited writing samples with attachment uploads, a variety of themes to choose from, an easy fill-in-the-blanks portfolio setup and more. 

Cool Feature: They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee — if you’re not 100% happy, they’ll refund you with no questions asked.

Free version: No, but you can try out a free demo without evening signing up! 

Upgrade option: Memberships cost $4 per month and come with a complete online writing portfolio at yourname.writerfolio.com (but you can use yourname.com, if you already own it), 

9. Format

Any kind of artist can find a home here, from photographers and designers to writers and illustrators. Format provides an impressive selection of curated themes to fit your unique brand, giving you a beautiful digital canvas to show off your best work.

Your portfolio with Format will be automatically optimized for mobile — so clients can view your work from any device — and you can enjoy unlimited bandwidth and blog posts, copyright protection for any image you upload, plus social media integration. Format will also give you a free domain name for a year!

Need some design inspo? Check out these writer portfolios using Format’s themes. 

Cool Feature: For when you need to make a change on-the-fly, Format’s iOS apps make it easy for you to show off your portfolio, manage your menu items and create and write blog posts anywhere you go. 

Free version: No, but you can try it free for two weeks to see if it’s a fit!

Upgrade option: With the Pro, Pro Plus and Unlimited plans, creatives can tailor their website with dozens of themes, custom code editing, 24/7 support and SEO tools. A bit on the pricey side, monthly membership costs range from $12 to $25

10. Carbonmade

Carbonmade has been building portfolio tools for creatives since 2005. Fifteen years later, they offer hundreds of features specifically built for creatives:

• They can personalize your starting point layouts specifically for your profession.
• Carbonmade is automatically responsive and optimized for all devices so your site always looks great.
•  You can link your own domain or choose from the ones included in all plans: name.carbonmade.com, name.portfolio.site or name.gfx.work options.
• Audio and PDF upload support

Cool Feature: Instead of sticking to a certain theme or layout, Carbonmade lets you use dozens of flexible layout blocks to design your website — just drag and drop to create your dream portfolio. No limitations here. 

Free version: No, but check out the free trial! 

Upgrade option: Monthly membership costs range from $8 to $18. For the cost of two coffee cups per month, writers typically enjoy the $8 plan for access to eight projects and unlimited images and videos. 

Examples of online writing portfolios

Now that you’ve got lots of platforms to choose from, want to see some of them in action?

We’ve compiled a list of online writing portfolios to inspire you. Here’s where to check out some online portfolio examples.

The original version of this story was written by Annie Rose Favreau. We updated the post so it’s more useful for our readers.

The post 10 Great Portfolio Websites for Freelance Writers appeared first on The Write Life.

In this week’s Dispatches from The Secret Library, Dr Oliver Tearle analyses an early Tennyson poem Who invented ‘free verse’? Walt Whitman (1819-92) often gets the credit, although his decision to write in free verse – unrhymed poetry without a regular metre or rhythm – may have been influenced by […]